To swatch or not to swatch?
Gauging the facts
There comes a time in every knitters' life when we learn about gauge. It might have been after knitting a pattern that turned out completely the wrong size and you were left wondering what went wrong. The answer is usually ✨ gauge ✨
What is gauge?
Gauge is how we measure our knitted fabric by counting the number of stitches and rows in a determined area. It can change depending on each knitter's personal tension (too loose or too tight), needle size and material, and yarn choice. Because of all these variables, patterns will often recommend you to knit a gauge swatch to make sure that your finished project will match the expected size.
Knitting a gauge swatch
A gauge swatch is essentially a square sample of your knitting. Think of it as another tool when starting a project. You have the right yarn, the right size needles and your trusty swatch!
The instructions for knitting a gauge swatch in a pattern might look like this:
20 sts and 26 rows in stockinette stitch on 4mm needles = 10x10cm
But first there are some things to consider before you start knitting your swatch:
Extra stitches
Knit at least 4-6 extra stitches all around your swatch so you have an even area of stitches to measure (excluding your cast-on, edges and cast-off stitches). Then you can accurately count how many of your stitches fit into a 10cm by 10cm space.
In-the-round vs flat
Whether you're knitting flat or in-the-round may also affect your gauge as your tension may be different for purl stitches. In-the-round knitting uses only knit stitches, while flat knitting alternates knit and purl rows. The gold standard is to knit your swatch in the same way you will knit the garment.
Block your swatch
To get the most accurate measurement of your gauge, you should also block your swatch to reflect how the fabric behaves after washing. Fibres may relax or contract depending on their content. Since your swatch is intended to mirror your garment, treat it the same way you will treat the garment (blocking is magic!)
The moment of truth!
Once your swatch is ready, count the stitches across a 10cm space (or the space specified by your pattern) and compare it to the number of stitches in the pattern. If you have more stitches, your gauge is too tight and you'll need to go up a needle size. If you have fewer stitches, your gauge may be too loose and you'll need to go down a needle size. Knit another swatch with your new needle size to confirm you've obtained gauge and you're ready to go!Do I have to knit a swatch?
Although the difference in your gauge may seem small, it can make a huge difference in fit. For example:
The gauge of a sweater pattern calls for 5 stitches per inch and the finished chest circumference is 40 inches (or 200 stitches).
200 stitches ÷ 5 stitches per inch = 40 inches
If your gauge is too tight, 5¼ stitches per inch, you will end up with a sweater that is almost 2 inches smaller.
200 stitches ÷ 5¼ stitches per inch = 38.1 inches
And if your gauge is too loose, 4¾ stitches per inch, your sweater would be 2 inches larger!
200 stitches ÷ 4¾ stitches per inch = 42.1 inches
After all the effort, time and money it takes to knit a sweater, you might as well spend some extra time at the start to make sure it fits. But the excitement to get started on a project may be too strong for some knitters – even if it means unravelling and starting again! If this sounds like you, there are a couple of shortcuts you can take...
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- Knit a shorter swatch with the number of stitches you need to measure across plus your border, and skip all the extra rows. Depending on how the pattern is written, stitch count is often more important than gauge count (not always though! Especially with lots of texture, so be careful)
- Use your project as the swatch! Start your knitting and measure the number of stitches in the space recommended by the pattern to see if you're reached gauge.
"Do as I say, not as I do"
You may know one or several seasoned knitters who don't always swatch- we may even have a few of them working in the shop 😇
If you've been knitting for a long time and you know your own tension well, you may be able to get away with skipping the swatch- we never officially recommend this, but we do often do this ourselves.
If you're using a yarn you're not used to or a stitch count that's quite different, you may find yourself getting caught out- but it's a risk that some knitters are willing to take.
So sometimes swatching is a case of "do as I say, not as I do" 😊
We hope you found this helpful, and wish you Happy Swatching!
Happy Making! 🤗
xx The Loopine Team
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